Royal Bloodlines
by aussiegirl-funkypunk
Summary: The company of Oakenshield are on their way to the Misty Mountains. They meet an elf/dwarf maid along the way, she intrigues the dwarf prince and joins the group on their quest. Her past is shaded by secrets. Who'll capture her heart? She'll have to decide before she fights for those she loves, she must first fight for her freedom from the King of the Silvan Elves.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first Hobbit story, in fact, it is my first bit of creative writing that I have attempted in many years, but seeing as I have found myself swept up in many a good Hobbit fanfic as of late, I thought I'd give it a try.

Enjoy the read, you have my word, this will not be a short story, there are many chapters already playing out in my mind.

Chapter One.

Welcome to the village of Theleor.

The air was cold and biting at their skin, despite wearing layers of armour and thick fur coats. The clouds were dark and the scent of rain was lingering in the wind, the dwarves knew they had no choice but to seek out temporary shelter much sooner than they originally anticipated. Their packs were becoming light too, they needed to collect supplies soon.

"There is a town not far from here, we should make it there if we choose to move in haste, there ought to be shelter or rooms for hire until the storm clears" Gandalf pointed his staff west, over a small rolling hill and suddenly the scent of smoke could be detected. The dwarves looked amongst themselves, looking to their leader for final instructions.

Thorin nodded, "I had hoped we'd stay out of man villages but I agree with Gandalf, we have no choice, to make battle with this storm would be unwise."

"We need food too!" Bombur said gruffly.

"Some more pipe-weed too?" Fili winked with a mischevious grin, nudging his brother with his elbow.

"Come along lads, pick up your feet and move quickly," Balin chimed in. Although he was not as young as the rest of the members of the company he was the most sturdiest, unlikely to give in or give up when faced with any obstacle or challenge, unless you count Smaug as an obstacle, in any case he was more of a calamity of pure destruction rather than your average obstacle.

The dwarves picked up their pace and followed Gandalf's lead, the wizard's strides were long and the dwarves had to work hard to keep up with him, poor Bilbo struggled more so, his small Hobbit legs moving as nimbly as possibly.

"I believe we are approaching the town of Theleor, it is small village for passers- by, not unlike the village of Bree near Hobbiton, our presence will not be greatly noticed," Gandalf puffed, his voice was deep and gruff, "I also believe we may have even an ally or two to resort to for help".

Thorin cocked an eyebrow, "as long as we are not once again resorting to the aid of Elves".

"No" replied Gandalf, "not entirely".

Thorin gripped his backpack tightly, his hatred of Elves was unrelenting and though he usually trusted the guidance of this wizard, he knew that there were some secrets that were being kept from him.

The company of Oakenshield made their way over the hill, through thick grassy meadows, and to the front gates of Theleor. The town was surrounded by large wooden fencing, a barrier to keep out foes and unsavoury characters. Gandalf knocked and tipped his tall pointy hat to the old bearded man who answered the door. The old guard seemed wary of such an odd gathering but Gandalf placed a few coins into the guard's palm and slowly the gates were opened to allow the dwarves and the Hobbit in.

Theleor was indeed a small village, different shop fronts advertising different trades from vegetables and fruits and tasty dried meats to a blacksmith and what appeared to be a small inn. The dwarves looked around nervously, though Bilbo seemed quite optimistic of spending a night in a comfortable dry bed instead of his bedroll beside a miserable dim fire out in the open, vulnerable to trolls and goblins. There were all sorts of people bustling about on the streets, probably preparing for the storm as the day had grown much darker and the wind was becoming colder and stronger. They all kept a look out for any strange sightings or suspicious characters but Gandalf seemed to know exactly where he was going, his walk was confident as his eyes scanned the dark allies and buildings.

The first inn they approached looked large and warm, though loud as many a local were enjoying pints of beers and warm toasted bread, just the smell made the whole company groan in hunger, the inn-keeper advised there was not enough room for such company, due to their number or perhaps it was their size, whichever the case, the dwarves and the Hobbit knew they were not so welcome. They made a few more turns down the small streets until they came across a small cottage with a small wooden sign that read "Little Inn!"

Gandalf smiled, "yes, this is the place!"

It was a little detached from the main buildings of the town, but there was a warm glow visible from the windows and smoke floating up and out of the chimney so it looked promising. They made their way over and Gandalf knocked on the door. A young maid answered and opened the door, she was quite short, comparable to the size of a dwarf but her hair was tightly wrapped up, covering even the tips of her ears. Her eyes were emerald green, her skin pale and her cheekbones high.

"You are looking for a place to stay?" She looked nervously over the dwarves and shifted her body uneasily, as though just the site of such a strange gathering made her uncomfortable.

"Yes my girl, just for myself and my dwarf friends here… and one Hobbit too! We won't take up too much room, we only need a night or two to seek shelter from this ghastly weather and rest and recover from our journey so far" Gandalf smiled and gave the girl a wink, emitting a small amount of charm often got him his own way, "Is the lady of the house, Lithrael here?" The girl look shocked, her eyes stared squarely into Gandalf's and she stepped aside to allow her guests in.

"How is it you know my mother's name? That name was not widely known, she went by the name 'Lilit' here".

"I met her many years ago on one of my many travels, she was always quite kind to me" Gandalf replied.

"Then it will sadden you to know that she died some time ago, when I was a child. They were horrible circumstances", the girl picked up a small lantern and showed her guest to the spare bed rooms, "Dwarves have often visited here in the past, there are plenty of appropriately sized beds for all of you. I have food stored if you are hungry and for a small additional fee I would be glad to make you a meal. You all look quite worn out".

"A meal would be appreciated..." Thorin stepped forward, "are you the innkeeper, girl?" She laughed in response.

"I may look young to you master dwarf but I have been managing this cottage for many years. I hardly think it necessary to tell you my age but let's just say I have many years of wisdom behind me. My name is Sonea, in case you were curious." She showed them to the kitchen, there were two large tables. She set out some large drinking cups and served several jugs of ale. The dwarves, the Hobbit and even Gandalf seemed pleased with her friendliness. Soon she served up plates of cured salted meats, cooked eggs, fresh bread and butter and some cooked potatoes. It had been a long time since she had had such company in her inn, Sonea was grateful for the business this group would provide financially.

The dwarves were becoming cheerful, a dry room to sleep in, plenty of ale and fresh food had lifted their spirits. Gandalf however looked deep in thought, he was smoking his pipe and staring, unblinking, at the lantern on the table, a reflection of the flickering flame visible in his eyes. Clouds were filling his thoughts, like someone was trying to reach across many lands to communicate with him. Only someone with great power could perform such magic, an elder being of Middle Earth.

Gandalf projected his thoughts out to the elder who was searching for him, greeting using his mind alone, "_My lady Galadriel… you are calling for me_?"

A blurred projection of the Elven Lady appeared in his mind, "_Gandalf, I do hope I have found you well. I have a task that requires both_ _your wisdom, and your courage."_ She smiled sweetly, her grey eyes were soft and this calmed the old wizard a little.

The wizard took another puff on his pipe, slowly blowing out small smoke rings, much to the amusement of his companions and Sonea. He could sense where this conversation was going, lady Galadriel had the gift of foresight and suspected that darker powers were indeed being summoned in middle earth and that an old enemy _may_ be responsible, she of course, required proof.

"_I know what it is you want me to do._ _I will leave at first light"_ he spoke with his mind, the image of the lady nodded her head in acceptance and then the clouds in his mind faded away. Gandalf leaned back in his chair, taking more notice of his surroundings and noticed in the corner of the kitchen, mounted on the wall, was a bow and bag of arrows and several swords, they appeared to almost be Elvish in design from the blade to the hilt. His eyes met Sonea's, "my dear, are those weapons belonging to perhaps your father… or husband?"

"I have never married…" Sonea showed no sign of sadness or regret, "and they belong to me, not my father. I have not seen my father in many years, which for me, is a good thing."

"You're a hunter then? A warrior?" Kili piped up, smiling playfully before stuffing more bread into his mouth and washing it down with a gulp of his ale.

"Aye, a hunter more than a warrior but I can handle a blade as well as any of you, I'm sure" there was the hint of a challenge in the tone of her voice but her lips curled up slightly in a smile but some of the dwarves coughed in disagreement.

"Perhaps tomorrow, you could demonstrate these skills that you boast?" Dwalin said gruffly. Sonea shrugged, she didn't doubt herself but she felt she had nothing to prove.

"Tell me, if you can my dear, why it is a good thing to not have your father in your life? I sense a sad tale" Gandalf's voice lowered but he was quite curious about this girl and Thorin leaned in eagerly awaiting her response, he too found her somewhat fascinating.

Sonea sighed, she was a loner in this village and it was how she preferred to remain but something inside her compelled her to be honest. She took a sip from her ale and thought of where it was best to start. Her company were mostly dwarves and she didn't want to offend them but the old man had asked for her story and there was nothing but sincerity that she detected in his question, as though he may actually care about her.

"It began with my mother who was banished from her home when she was quite young, apparently for loving someone she was not betrothed to, I'm not too familiar with the details there but I will tell you what I know," Sonea paused, she had everyone's attention, even the Hobbit looked at her, captivated by her words, "she travelled far, not really belonging anywhere, she was not one to belong to mankind, as she was indeed, and Elf." Gandalf had suspected as much and Sonea slowly unwrapped the scarf from her head, revealing long cascading thick dark red hair and tall pointed ears that indeed resembled as elf-like.

"She found one town, not unlike this one where she found work in an inn, work to clean and make beds and prepare food. One day, a small company of dwarves, not as many as you, sought for a night's rest. The leader was of some royal blood, belonging to a kingdom that was on the very edge of Middle Earth, his name was Frrel and that night he began a relationship with my mother, she had said that he loved her. She decided to leave her work and follow him on his journey but she didn't realise that he had an unpredictably violent streak in his personality, and as soon she felt she was with child, she escaped," Sonea tried not to cry, the pain still felt very real in her beating chest and she looked down, not daring to look into the pity-filled eyes of those around her. The old man placed a large hand on her back and tapped her gently and apologetically.

"She raised me, taught me to hunt with a bow and arrow, over time I became even a better hunter than her but I desired greatly to learn to master a blade, she gave me those" Sonea nodded towards the wall where her swords hung, "she trained me in some basic moves but I began to teach myself, it felt like instinct. Several years ago my father had found us and then I woke up one morning to find my mother had gone missing, Frrel told me she was dead and that I would now have to do as he said, I remember there was a dark wildness about his eyes, it struck fear in me. He was arranging my betrothal to another prince from a land in the mountains far away, closer to the Iron Hills, a trade really, for a chest of gold and gems he wanted my freedom to be sold against my will" Sonea stood up and walked over to her swords, they were long in length compared to her small stature (which was not unlike the other dwarves around her), she took them into her hands and lunged forward, slicing through the air, the blades crossing over the front of her body, so fast it was a mere blur, "I told him, for my mother's demise and my own freedom he was to leave and not return, or I would not hesitate to avenge my mother's suffering, my mother's death. So here I am, half Elf, Half Dwarf and not really belonging to anyone or anywhere."

Bilbo was smoking his pipe, Gandalf was also blowing smoke rings. Fili and Kili were sitting in shock, while Dwalin and Balin looked upon her with sorrow and also a tough of admiration. She was tough, a dwarvish trait but her build was slight with angular features like an Elf. Thorin said nothing, just staring at her with his icy blue eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

"That is indeed some story" Bombur leaned forward, his merry round face beamed at her, "such a tale can only be retold by someone strong, and you lass, are obviously just that."

"I am saddened to learn that it was dwarves that brought about such unhappiness in your life" Balin muttered, there was buttered bread crumbs caught in his long white beard to which he was oblivious, "It is a fact lass, that in our culture, dwarf men respect their women, treating them with compassion but of course, there are bad people amongst all cultures in Middle Earth." Sonea nodded, she felt pleased that at least her father's behaviour was uncommon but she was starting to feel uneasy by Thorin's unbroken glare. He looked away, evading eye contact with her.

The wind was beginning to howl outside, rain was beating down on the roof and the windows rattled slightly, but the cottage retained is warmth. Sonea began to gather messy plates but the company continued to drink, some sombre at hearing her life story while others were merry and optimistic about their quest. The wizard kicked Thorin's foot underneath the table and gave him an obvious wink, "perhaps our fearless leader would care to help the inn-keeper, as she has been hospitable enough to tolerate everyone's behaviour this evening".

"I think I can manage, by whilst I clean up maybe you could all introduce yourselves. I have a pretty good memory of those whom I meet", Sonea brushed away some of her hair out of her face as she picked up Thorin's plate. Gandalf introduced everyone, one by one they all nodded in respect until he pointed to Thorin.

"And this is… Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror…" his voice was shaky. Sonea stopped and her eyes widened in surprise. She felt her chest tightening and her heart began to pound hard in her chest. She stepped back from the table, all of their faces were watching her, and Thorin eyed her suspiciously and wondered what game it was that the wizard was playing. The half-blood coughed a little, as if to clear her throat and put the pile of plates back onto the table and hurried out of the room.

"What's all that about?" Bofur wondered.

"Come on laddies, she's part dwarf and her father had royal blood, of course she's familiar with Thorin's name!" Balin tried to reason, but even he was confused by her behaviour.

"What are you up to, Gandalf?" Thorin stood up and leaned across the table, his knuckles clenched tight, a gentle form of intimidation but quite pointless against a character like a wizard.

"She has lied about her name Thorin. She is clearly aware of your title and I do believe you would be aware of hers if she were more truthful. Of course it makes sense, princess Annora was betrothed to you" he smiled knowingly.

"Annora? Betrothed?" The prince stammered.

"She is part Elf, fifty years is nothing for their kind…" Balin reminded him.

"It was only a contract, between your father and hers. She was right, her freedom was being traded for gold but her father's kingdom was dwindling and needed something to bargain with and a half elf half dwarf princess would've fetched a good price" Dwalin commented, taking another sip of ale. Fili and Kili looked at each other excitedly, Gloin and Oin winked at each other whilst Nori, Ori and Dori were trying to hold back laughter.

Thorin shook his head, thinking that this could not be right, it was too much of a coincidence but then he looked up at the wizard who was leaning back lazily in his chair, "you knew?"

"I merely suspected…" Gandalf protested, waving his hands dismissively.

"Aye, you suspected as much and yet failed to mention anything to me?" Thorin was more than annoyed, at the wizard and at the memory of his father. It is true that he was extremely loyal to his kin and to his bloodline, but that his father had organised a bride for him all of those years ago, before Erebor was invaded by Smaug, was insulting. "Am I not the leader for this quest? Is this not the company of Oakenshield?" His arms stretched wide, gesturing towards the others. He had heard of the name Annora, the rumours of the half-blood princess but he was never made aware of a contract between him and her, something Thrain and Thror had organised behind his back, yes they wanted of course the bloodline of Durin to continue but at the expense of him choosing his own woman?

Thorin left the group and walked outside, his fur coat barely protecting him from the torrential rain but there was a small amount of shelter offered by the roof. He paced up and down the length of the cottage slowly, digging through one of his pockets for another pipe and some more pipe-weed, hoping that would settle his nerves. He stopped at a window, there was a curtain so he could not see inside but he did make out the shadow of Annora. He didn't feel it was his right to spy on her but he was curious if she was feeling the same as he, resentful and angry. With his back pressed up firmly against the cottage's stone wall, he moved as close as he could to the window, he had found his pipe but put it back into his pocket.

Annora was sitting on her bed, her head resting in both her hands and she was sobbing quietly, or so Thorin thought he could hear.

"It must be some sort of fate," she muttered, "but it is a fate I thought had been long forgotten." In her hands was a letter, her fingers gently caressing the parchment.

A/N: Well, there it is. I really enjoyed writing and I hope that you enjoy reading it. I have some twists and turns planned, but don't worry, this is rated M for a reason.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I aimed for a bit more action and romance in this chapter, just to add some momentum. I'm looking forward to the development of the relationship between Thorin and Annora, but maybe Kili will have a part to play also? Please review, your comment and advice are always welcome.**

…..

Chapter 2

Hunters become the hunted

By the morning the storm had begun to ease up, light rain drizzling over the landscape. Nearly all were still asleep, after staying up so late gossiping about the night's events.

Thorin got up out of bed, his head felt sore and assumed it was the fault of an excessive consumption of ale. He remembered listening to Annora outside her window then leaving her alone to her thoughts. His mind was still clouded with confusion and concern. He felt a bit betrayed also by some of his comrades who were aware of what Thrain had organised behind his back but more so by Gandalf, he had sought out refuge in this particular village deliberately. He put on his coat and pulled on his boots and decided to get some breakfast.

There was of course, only one other up, Annora. She was boiling some water over the fire place and the smell of warm fresh bread filled his nostrils, without thinking he let out a small moan, "mmm…"

Annora turned and nodded in respect at him, she no longer wore the scarf around her head to conceal her Elvish traits, and her dark red hair flowed freely over her shoulders. She gestured him to sit down and he obeyed politely.

"Tea?" She walked over with the kettle and a mug for him, he nodded with approval so she poured him his beverage, "the others are still exhausted it seems. Gandalf has asked me to advise you that he had to leave early this morning and that he would return in a couple of days." She served him a few slices of bread and butter, she also gathered up some pieces of fruit and jams. Thorin appreciated her effort but he still somewhat felt lost for words, he wasn't sure how to approach her at all.

"Thorin…" she smiled, her eyes barely met his for a split second before she turned away, her cheeks slightly pink, "I'm sorry if I offended you at all last night, you must know that was not my intention."

"Offend me? No, you haven't offended me. My father and perhaps also my grandfather have offended me, my memory of them is tainted" Thorin helped himself to some bread, it was good to eat something fresh and not cold preserves from a travelling pack. For some reason he also found it hard to also make eye contact with her.

"My father needed the money… your father wanted his blood line to continue with strength, I suppose to them it made sense" she sat down next to him and began slicing up an apple, "but at least you never had to fear your father."

"He hurt you?" Asked Thorin.

"Only a handful of times, most of the time when I was younger, I felt like I should protect my mother but I guess I just got in the way. As I got older though, I learned how to defend myself and eventually it became me and my mother against him…" she fell silent, the hurt was still in her voice as she felt herself reliving those awful days.

"That's why he got rid of her… to take control of you" Thorin concluded.

"Aye, and bargain my freedom for a life married to you… not that I had anything against you, I didn't know you, only your name, but I couldn't allow him to dictate whom I should marry or love" Annora felt the heat rising in her face, the memories of her father always caused this, though it felt good letting it all out, having someone show some empathy towards her situation.

"Yet here we are, our paths have crossed at last" He leaned back in his chair and stretched out his arms, thinking about how things could've been so different had Smaug never invaded Erebor, wondering if he would've ever have considered his father's arrangement to marry Annora, she was beautiful, in an odd way… but then she was part Elf and it was the particular fact that confused his feelings.

"You're wondering about what could've been…" Annora smiled knowingly, leaning across the table and now looking directly into his eyes.

"It's not worth my time thinking about what may have been. My focus is on the future, and that is to give my kingdom a home again… _that_ is my priority" his eyes met her again briefly then darted away.

"From what I've heard it may also be your destiny," she paused, "and what then, after you've claimed back your mountain, what happens to the King of Erebor? You return to your wife? Children?" She served herself another cup of tea. At the very moment several dwarves raced in, desperately hungry for breakfast, Bilbo wasn't too far behind, hobbling along whilst pulling up a boot clumsily at the same time.

Kili playfully slapped Thorin on his back, "A wife? Ha! Not that any of us know of!"

"Perhaps the lass is interested in the original betrothal?" Balin grinned.

"I don't think so…" Annora replied as she went to cook some fresh eggs and ham for their breakfast.

"You've had a better offer maybe?" Bofur leaned forward as he tapped his fingers on the table impatiently.

"The idea of marrying a dwarf… repulses me… I suppose I can thank my father for that" she turned the eggs over in the frypan and began serving them to her customers. The dwarves sat in silence and glanced at each other, not knowing what to say so thought it best collectively to say nothing.

There was not much they could do until Gandalf returned, he had left very specific instructions with Annora that they should not leave the village until he returned, but they were growing restless and Bilbo needed sword-play practice so she lead the company out to just beyond the village to a small paddock that was home to some of the village's livestock, horses and cows, pigs and chickens. There were two small ponies, thick scruffy manes and tales, coarse brown coats and feathery hooves, they both belonged to Annora. She greeted both with a carrot each and a friendly scratch behind their ears, they whinnied in appreciation.

"This is a good place to practice Bilbo, I can teach you a little of what I know" Annora was going to hand one of her swords to Bilbo but then he unsheathed his own small sword, one he had yet to name. She recognised it immediately as an Elvish blade, but not one of this Age, _an ancient blade_… she would ask questions later, it was time to train. Some of the younger dwarves were also practicing with their weapons whilst the older warriors stood by to see if this girl was a skilled as she claimed to be. She first began to show him how to shift his weight properly on his feet so that when he was in an attack he wouldn't just be bowled backwards, Bilbo nodded and tried to remember her instructions. She lifted her blade to meet his and started with some light thrusts forwards, she admired the Hobbit's quick reactions to her advances, "you have a lot to learn about sword-play, a little clumsy too" she could hear Thorin, Balin and Dwalin laughing in agreement and poor Bilbo gave a little half-laugh under his breath, "but you are quicker on your feet then any of these dwarves and your reaction time to my advances is almost Elf-like, you deserve more credit than your company here seems to give". Annora smiled and patted Bilbo on the shoulder, he smiled with thanks but there was still so much doubt in his eyes. _He just needs more time_, she thought to herself.

Thorin gestured Annora to come to him, she hesitated slightly.

"You give him too much hope. He doesn't stand a chance against an Orc" Thorin unsheathed his sword, much to Annora's surprise it was also an ancient Elvish blade, "it is up to us to protect him."

"You should not doubt him" Annora spun around and in a quick move she had unarmed Thorin and held her blade against his throat, "and you should not assume it is up to you alone to take back Erebor". Thorin smiled wickedly and nodded in submission as she withdrew her blade. It was only a few hours they spent outside, the storm had long passed and the sun was warm on their skin, they were enjoying this restful period on their journey. As the sun passed over in the sky it became clear it was time for another meal, and bread and vegetables would not suffice again. Annora had brought her bow and arrows with here, as did Kili. "We need to hunt. These animals here do not belong to me, but I have seen wild boars and occasionally young deer in the meadow beyond, will you help me Kili?"

Excited by the chance to hunt Kili hurried over and bowed in acceptance, "at your service!"

"Going directly against Gandalf's orders?" Thorin asked.

"If you're happy to eat bread again then by all means, you should all return to the village. However I was thinking of roast pork for dinner and maybe some crunchy bacon for tomorrow's breakfast…" Annora started walked towards her familiar hunting grounds. Thorin nodded to Kili and the young dwarf followed after the princess and then led the rest of the company back to safety of the cottage.

….

Out in the meadow there was indeed a few wild boars digging around with their snouts, not detecting the two hunters as they waited, their scent was not travelling in the direction of their prey. The waited for a clear shot, Kili first readied his bow, always ready to impress a seemingly young girl with his skills. He took aim and released the arrow, it skimmed over the boar's flank and disappeared. The wild boar bolted, though he was large, his hooves moved quickly, zigzagging between the long tuffs of grass. Annora jumped up and threw a dagger that she had concealed in her clothes, it pierced the animal's neck and the beast was dead, its lifeless body skidded across the ground. Kili was completely stunned, she was amazing. They hurried over to their catch, Annora removed her dagger, wiped the blood onto the grass and then reconcealed it into her clothes. Kili offered to carry the creature back home, he lifted the massive body until it was on its back and took hold of its front legs. Annora smiled, _the stubbornness of dwarves_. She took hold of the animal's hind legs and they began their trip home.

It would be slow moving but the beast was worth it, both were proud of their kill. There it was, coming from over the hill and in the trees, another animal was howling. Annora's blood went cold and Kili's eyes widened. A wild Warg. A sign that maybe Orcs were nearby. "Quick!" They held onto the boar and picked up their pace, they could see the gates to the village, but Annora could also sense that the horrible creature was onto their scent. They tried to run but the boar slowed them down, neither wanted to give up such a prize. Kili knew they wouldn't make it. He dropped the boar and took to the direction of the howls, his bow and arrow ready again, "Kili!" Annora called but he was gone.

Wargs are intelligent creatures, even when they carry no riders or masters, essentially in the wild they were pack animals, not unlike wolves, and they knew how to hunt as a team. There were indeed two Wargs that day that had picked up the scent of a herd of wild boars, and also the scent of dwarves. It was too late. The second Warg was racing towards Annora at great speed, growling and baring his magnificent teeth. Annora unsheathed her sword and gave out a mighty battle cry as she swung her blade at the animal's head but the Warg forced her to the ground, his weight was not something she could contend with. Kili was out of sight, hunting the Warg that was merely a diversion. She fumbled around for her blade or her dagger but the Warg launched onto her leg and she felt the bone crush beneath his jaws, she screamed in agony and felt her life force weaken. She found a loose arrow and tried to stab the beast in the eye but she struggled to even lift her body up to defend herself, it seemed hopeless. In that instant a great blade sliced through the neck of the Warg and a dwarf freed its jaws from her leg. Annora's vision was blurred, she was losing blood but she could just make the outline of Thorin, she felt him gather up her body in his arms, took in his scent and felt immediately safe. As he carried her back to the village she managed to mutter quietly, "thank you…" and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He gripped her tightly which gave her all of the reassurance she needed as she passed out in his arms.

…

Annora woke to find herself in her own bed, there was no sunlight coming in through the window, she struggled to guess how much time had passed since the attack. Her body ached but her leg was throbbing. Her leg was wrapped tightly, only just allowing her blood to circulate, she didn't dare to move it. There was two figures sitting by her side. One had his arms crossed and his body was slouched over, fast asleep, Kili. The other of course, was Thorin and he appeared greatly relieved that Annora was slowly coming to her senses.

"How is the pain?" He said, his voice was deep but also soft. It was not a common thing for the prince to expose his vulnerable side but with Kili asleep next time, he felt he could let down his guard, if only a bit.

"Awful" she replied, her lips were dry and cracked, "but I'm alive so the pain seems insignificant."

"I'll get you some water. Can you sit up?" He could see she was struggling to move at all so he helped lift her body up and pushed some pillows behind her back to support her against the bed frame. As he left the room, he couldn't quite figure out this need to protect, yes she was a female but anyone here could be helping her right now. Was it because she had once been intended for him? _No_, he thought, _that's not it_. Most of the dwarves had gone to bed, though same sat near the fireplace in the living room telling stories about the battles they had been in or about their life back in their temporary home that Thorin had built for his people. He was bringing the glass of water back to Annora's room and Kili was just leaving. The young dwarf grabbed Thorin's arm and pulled him aside gently.

"She is incredible, to survive a one-on-one attack with a full grown Warg is impressive! " Kili said quietly so that the others did not hear.

"If hadn't been there, she wouldn't have survived" Thorin replied sternly, a little annoyed that was clearly ignoring the fact that it was the prince who had slain the beast.

"Aye, but… she's impressive nonetheless! You didn't see her hunt!" Kili let go of his arm, his step was light and he smiled cheekily, so young that he always wore his heart on his sleeve. Not that it bothered Thorin or surprised him even that Kili was slightly keen on Annora. Thorin knocked gently on her door and allowed himself in, closing the door behind him. She smiled gratefully at his return.

"Thank you Thorin" she sipped the water found some herbs in the bedside table beside her. Thorin watched on curiously as she mixed some of them into her water, even crushing some leaves in her mouth as she drank. _Disgusting_, thought Thorin, _that must be an Elvish trait_. Annora laughed at the look of disgust on his face, "this is for healing. These particular dried herbs are what I keep on standby when I don't feel well or… in case of a Warg attacking me and breaking my leg".

"So, magic herbs that mend your bones instantly?" Thorin asked, almost sarcastically.

"Not instantly, but essentially they will heal me completely in a matter of days rather than months. My mum taught me to always be prepared for the unexpected". She drank the rest of water in a hurry and licked her lips. Her thirst was quenched but she was also starving. She almost jumped out of skin completely when Thorin took hold of her hand, his thumb caressed her soft pale skin; he had found the courage now for his eyes to gaze into hers. She allowed her fingers to curl around his hand, unsure of what he was feeling.

"I'll get on of the others to get you some food. You've slept for a whole day…I'm… glad you're alright" that last part was the hardest to get out but he meant it and without further thought he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, like he would've done for his little sister back in Erebor. Annora could feel her heart beating faster in her chest, his face was so close to hers. He saved her life, but it was more than that, she felt something stirring inside of her, _desire_? She brought her hand to the side of his face, though he seemed shocked by her behaviour he allowed her to guide his lips to hers. A soft kiss, lips brushing against each other's tenderly, both unsure of how to respond and when to pull away. Annora was enjoying the feeling of his rough beard against her skin, she felt secure with his touch, just as she did when he had carried her after the Warg attack. She felt his tongue enticing her to part her lips slightly as one of his hands rested on her shoulder, caressing a patch of bare skin then slowly and gently making its way down the length of her body. She could feel her body wanting to respond to his touch but she hesitated and their lips parted but their noses still touched slightly as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Annora… I…" Thorin stammered.

"I'm just as confused as you... what was that…that feeling?" Annora brought a finger to her lips, they were still tingling with pleasure. In that moment Gloin entered the room, he had a small plate of food for the princess, he hadn't seen what had just happened between her and Thorin but he could feel the awkward silence still lingering in the air.

"Did I come at a bad time?" Gloin shuffled past Thorin, almost knocking him out of the way, innocently of course.

"No…" Thorin couldn't get out of there fast enough, grateful that Gloin had indeed interrupted the moment. He needed to get away, time to think about what had just happened and why. When would Gandalf return?

…

**A/N: Another chapter complete! I know the romance was a little rushed at the end but I just couldn't help myself! I've proof-read it as best I can, sorry if there are any mistakes remaining.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Escape to Mirkwood**

The next morning Annora woke up to the smell of bacon beside her bed, accompanied by warm buttered bread and tea. Her stomach ached, she was famished which she knew was a good sign, her body was fighting to repair itself. As she bit into the bread she smiled, the memory of what had occurred between herself and Thorin made her cheeks flush with warmth. For the first time in her relatively short life (taking into account her Elvish blood), she felt like she had some other purpose, other than running the inn her mother had built and keeping on the lookout of any return of her father. Thorin had sparked something inside of her and she couldn't shake the feeling that he had an important part to play in her destiny.

She finished her meal and was grateful to find a walking stick had been left beside her bed. Her wound was still tender and the bone was still broken but she felt that it had greatly improved in the passing hours of night. She reached for more of her Herbal remedy and this time added it to her tea, giving it a rather bitter taste which was much to her liking. She lifted her body up off the bed, resting on the walking stick, each step towards the door was agony but she held it in, gritting her teeth and groaning a little.

Annora was surprised to find that the cottage was mostly empty, except for Kili who hurried over to help her.

"Lean on me, let's get you to a chair" He picked up her arm and wrapped it around his neck, there was no hiding his feelings, he was delighted being close to her.

"I think it would be nice to sit outside, just to get some fresh air…" she paused, "Kili… where have the others gone?" Her heart sank a little, she was looking forward to hearing Thorin's voice.

"I'll bring out a chair for you… everyone's gone to scout out the area. A few wild Wargs is a bad sign, they may have been scouts and that could mean an Orc pack isn't too far behind" he moved a small chair outside for her and helped her sit down. He barely took his eyes off her for more than a few seconds, "you enjoyed breakfast?" He smiled.

"Aye, it was wonderful to wake up to. Running this cottage, I've never had anyone to make me a meal or look after me, well, since my mother left…died" she looked down but managed to hold back her tears and took a deep breath of fresh air, "I hope I haven't been too much of a burden for your company."

Kili shook his head, "oh no no no no, you're not a burden at all!" He pretended to stretch his arms behind his back, cheekily trying to show off his muscles and gave her a mischievous wink. Annora giggled, the dwarf lad was certainly charismatic, but he was so young and she hadn't the heart to confess her interest in the prince yet.

"There is certainly something about you young Kili, you _do_ make me laugh" she poked him playfully with her walking stick. She could hear the gates to the village opening.

Kili scratched his head, laughing awkwardly, the skill of flirting was not something he had ever had much practice in, "well I suppose that's just one of my many talents". Annora couldn't help it, her giggles were becoming a fit of laughter.

"You behave as though you think you're the only man that has ever brought a smile to my face before… that's quite an ego" she sighed. A few dwarves were in sight now, heading towards the cottage but Thorin was not in sight, and only Gloin, Oin, Dwalin, Ori and Balin were there. She lifted her weight back up onto the walking stick to greet them, much to the protest of Kili. There was some blood on Dwalin's shirt and Annora immediately felt a coldness spread over her body.

"What happened? Where are the others?" She demanded, "Where is Thorin?"

Dwalin and Balin looked at each uncomfortably, Ori coughed a little and looked away. Kili jumped up, "where's my brother?"

"Calm down, everything is ok!" Balin helped Annora back to her seat. "It was lucky that we decided to scout the area, we came a cross another pair of Wargs, which we managed to take down. Thorin is concerned there is indeed an Orc pack that has picked up on our scent. We will only be here for one more night, we don't want to endanger this town more than we already have."

"None were injured badly, only a few scrapes" Dwalin said reassuringly, "the others will keep a look-out until this afternoon and then we will prepare for our departure tomorrow, with or without Gandalf."

"But Gandalf specifically said…" Annora protested.

"Yes, but a Wizard doesn't always know what is best for everyone" Balin put up his hand, giving his final words, "we leave tomorrow" and he patted her shoulder, sensing her feeling of unease as he walked back into the cottage. Annora collapsed back onto her chair, thinking of last night's kiss replaying repeatedly in her mind and wishing more than anything that her leg was healed. She buried her head in her hands_, even if my leg was okay, would I give up my life here and go with them… with him? I don't even know what last night's kiss even meant? Maybe it was an accident… an act out of pity of what happened that day… maybe it was more_. The thoughts were swimming around in her mind and she felt sick to her stomach, gutted at the thought of once again being alone.

Kili helped her up and back inside, his cheerful smile was gone, saddened at the thought of leaving this girl behind, "don't be sad" he whispered into her ear. She nodded, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes, there was no disguising the fact she was upset but she was thankful that none truly knew why. She would miss them all, they had only been here for a couple of days but it almost felt like a family, like they belonged here… or that she belonged with them. The thought of belonging with them stuck in her mind, her heart suddenly longed for adventure, longed to be part of something great, far greater than the life she was already living. She did not have the true gift of foresight like so many Elves did but she could sense when a path was being laid before her feet, a path that she had to walk.

"I'm going with you in the morning" she whispered back to Kili and he looked at her with surprise, "you mustn't tell anyone".

"That's crazy, you have a broken leg and we are escaping from an Orc pack and Wargs!" He grabbed both of her shoulders gently and brought his face close to hers, there was worry in his eyes but also a slight sparkle of excitement.

"I'll manage. I won't slow you down, trust me" she looked squarely in his eyes and for a moment she felt the gap between his and her lips begin to close but she turned sharply and slowly hobbled back to her room. Kili's heart was racing and he felt the eyes of his fellow dwarves linger on him, Ori gave a slight chuckle but he covered his mouth until Annora was in her room and the door closed.

"Romance blossoming on our journey?" Dwalin cocked an eyebrow and elbowed Balin who also smiled. Kili went bright red and smiled, pretending to be confident but his comrades knew better.

….

Later that day the rest of the dwarves returned from their scouting. Thorin led them, he was limping only slightly, caught off guard by a Warg as the beast slashed his upper thigh, forcing him to lose his footing. His ankle was a little tender from the fall but it was the wound that was burning. The others had all fared better but there was an unsettling feeling that the worse was still to come, and without the return of Gandalf, their fear was growing.

Balin greeted Thorin with an ale and there was food once again set on the table for all. They shared their battle stories, some showing off cuts and bruises and drank many a cup of ale, all trying to maintain a merry spirit. It turns out the Hobbit, had not gone with the rest of the company, he'd spent his day with the farm animals (he didn't dare mention that he had taken some apples and carrots to feed to the scruffy ponies).

"How is Annora?" Thorin asked.

"The wound is almost completely healed and she sad that the bone is still broken but it should be ok by tomorrow, mended but fragile… aren't Elves amazing?" Kili sighed stupidly.

"Half Elf, half Dwarf…" Bombur corrected.

"And a princess!" Kili cheered in reply.

"And completely out of your league!" Fili smacked his brother playfully on the back of the head. The dwarves laughed collectively, ale spilled everywhere.

Thorin rolled his eyes, it was not hard to forget that some his company were indeed only children really and they often tested his patience with both their arrogance and ignorance. He thought he'd check on Annora anyway, he was curious to see how she was recovering but he also felt it was time to confront her. He tried to think of what to say… how to say… but the words just wouldn't come to mind. He tapped on her bedroom door lightly, "Annora?"

"Come in" she replied softly. Her voice was sweet to his ears, he wondered if it sounded so sweet the day he had first met her. She was sitting on her bed, re-wrapping her wound in a clean dressing.

"How are you feeling…? I mean… how is your… how does your leg feel?" Now he felt stupid. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks and she smiled.

"It is healing fast. The herbs help, but I suppose being Elvish also helps… It won't be long before I can walk freely again… Thorin, your leg is bleeding?!" She noticed the blood stain, the blood was dark and wet.

"It's nothing" he replied dismissively.

"No, it's something. Let me have a look, I have a few healing herbs left that I can apply to it. Sit down?" She didn't feel it was right to give him orders, so she asked him politely. She felt slightly uncomfortable having him in her room again, her eyes fell upon his lips and she was reminded of the sensation of them upon her own mouth. Thorin hesitated for a moment but then he walked over to her anyway, limping.

"You're either going to have to roll up those pants or take them off, to be perfectly honest, it doesn't bother me either way" Annora kept her voice as a calm as she could, "this is strictly a medical examination."

"Sure, you're just looking for any excuse to have me alone in your room and have me undress" he replied, he was joking but also waiting to see if she fell for the bait. Was she as curious about him as he was about her?

"Do you want my help or not?" She crossed her arms stubbornly. Thorin lifted up his arms in a sign of defeat and slipped off his pants, he felt rather stupid just standing there in his underwear and so sat down. Annora leaned forward to examine the wound closely on his thigh, the Warg's claw had slashed deeply into the muscle and she was worried about infection. There was still a clean bowl of water beside her bed and a cloth so she gently wiped away at the wound, gently as she could. Thorin hissed a little as she poured a little more water onto the cut, glad none of the others could see him react to the pain.

"Oh stop moving, would you?" Annora insisted, "It's a small cut really, you've survived worse I'm sure…"

Thorin grabbed her hand firmly before she could continue, "I think it's clean now." Annora nodded, the prince was annoyed and she smiled in response. She grabbed a clean piece of cloth dressing and some herbs, she pressed some of them onto the wound and started to bind his thigh firmly as best she could. His skin was hot to touch, she tried not to notice too much.

What few healing herbs she had left she gave to Thorin, "you'll have to eat these. I don't imagine you will like the tastebut you'll feel amazing by the time the sun comes up tomorrow morning, I promise!" He took them reluctantly and swallowed them, drinking from her glass of water. The remedy truly tasted disgusting but he trusted her methods. She had tended to his wound well.

"Thank you Annora" he looked at her, her eyes were soft and kind and the feeling he was trying to fight had finally again overwhelmed him. He leaned forward, and to her surprise he pressed his mouth against hers, much more forcefully than last night, he cupped her chin and waited for her response. Her eyes closed as she fell into his embrace and returned his kiss. She parted her lips and enticed his tongue to explore her mouth. Thorin felt his heart racing, he nibbled on her bottom lip gently before the kiss deepened, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and felt their bodies slowly collapse onto her bed.

His hands began to wander down her body, over her clothes. She didn't protest so he became a little more adventurous and slid one hand beneath her shirt and skimmed his hand gently across her stomach. Annora moaned a little, his touch was electric and it woke something in her body, she felt herself becoming completely vulnerable to his every move. His mouth parted from hers and he planted kisses down on her neck, she rolled her head back a little to expose more skin.

"Thorin… I've never felt like this before…" she muttered softly. Thorin paused for a moment and lifted her head back to meet his, he kissed her gently.

"Neither have I, to be perfectly honest" and started moving his kisses down her body again.

"No, I don't think you understand" she pulled at his hair gently to grab his attention, "If this is really happening… then you would be my first… love" she blushed with embarrassment and Thorin's eyes widened as it dawned on him that she had never been with a male before. He grinned at her and brushed her cheek with his thumb tenderly.

"Nothing needs to happen, unless you want it to" he confessed, though he desperately longed to continue to explore her body. It felt strange to be in the bed of a girl he had just met. Yes it was true, growing up in Erebor he was always quite popular with the young dwarf women but he had never given in to the idea of being in love, being at the mercy of someone that would learn to know him inside and out, to know his fears, his desires and his ambitions. It felt even stranger that he was finding himself to become so captivated by a girl who was part Elf, a race of beings he despised, only just less than Orcs and goblins. His thoughts were disturbed as Annora lifted a leg over the side of his body, encouraging him to slide up on top of her, she then wrapped her one good leg tightly around his waist. He groaned a little, enjoying the feeling of his body pressed up so tightly against his.

"I've wanted this to happen since last night…" she breathed as her hands began to explore his body. She slowly removed his shirt, he helped of course, and she allowed herself to explore each muscle along his arms, caressed his naked chest, feeling his heart beat beneath the palm of her hand. He shocked her slightly to feel how aroused he was, she could feel his hardened member grinding up against her inner thigh, "help me undress…"

Thorin lifted her shirt over her head and marvelled at her beautiful ivory skin, she looked delicate and perfect, not like any female he had been with before. He kissed down her collarbone and eventually focused her on breasts, nipping playfully at one nipple as his other hand massaged her other breast. Her body was tingling all over, she tried to keep her moans as quiet as possible so the others outside would not hear. He began to slowly remove her trousers and loved how she looked down at him, her eyes stared directly into his, as though daring him to go further. He accepted with a devilish smile. Once she was completely naked he stopped for a moment to take it all in, "you are beautiful Annora" he said as his kissed her navel and his tongue began to trace lower down her body, kissing her inner thigh and then slowly he lapped gently at the sweetness between her legs.

Her body shuddered, "Thorin" she gasped, her heart was beating faster and she felt a warmth spreading all over her body from head to toe. His tongue was creating such incredible sensations, feelings she never thought possible. Her hands rested on his head gently, occasionally scratching at his scalp as a wave of pleasure travelled through her. He couldn't hold back much longer. He removed his underwear hastily and gave Annora a chance to look at him completely. She couldn't explain it, but she felt embarrassed just staring at his manhood but he guided her hand to him and she took him into her palm.

"Ugh…" he groaned, enjoying the feeling of her touch, the softness of her skin was almost was going to tip him over the edge. Annora tried not to laugh, the reaction he had from her holding onto him and rubbing him seemed odd, but then the whole experience seemed odd and she tried to relax. He pushed her body gently back down onto the bed and guided her legs to spread wider to allow his body to rest comfortably on top of hers. As he guided his manhood into her with a gentle thrust he kissed her deeply to distract her from any more pain that she might have felt. There was little resistance and he began to thrust again, this time more deeply and she took a deep breath as she felt him completely inside of her. He hips moved to meet his with every move he made, he buried his face into her thick red hair as he picked up a faster rhythm of lovemaking. Annora kissed his shoulder as her hands grabbed hold of his waist and she pulled him tightly towards her, her body felt alive with sensations and she wasn't sure how much longer she would last, the feeling of pleasure was almost unbearable, especially when she tried to hold in her moans and gasps of air.

Thorin brought his lips back to hers again and kissed her deeply, she responded be sucking seductively on his bottom and smiled as they gazed into each other's eyes. Thorin lifted his body up slightly, to take into view the sight of her body once again and his hands clenched tightly onto the bed sheets. His movements were speeding up and his lower body was grinding up hard against Annora, he wanted to watch her body respond to his as he allowed himself to climax. Her body stiffened for a moment and he gave another thrust, then her legs trembled, her stomach and chest began to rise and fall deeply as she struggled for air, her back arched and she collapsed beneath him. He felt himself release completely and it took every ounce of self-control to not cry out her name in ecstasy. His muscles twitched and he too collapsed beside Annora, his body drained of all energy. Annora rolled over and rested her head on his chest, listening close to his heartbeat, it was wild and racing but it started to slow down. She kissed his chest gently, then made her way up his neck and to his lips. He gave a half smile but he was completely exhausted.

"Thorin… tomorrow I know you're all leaving…" Annora struggled to find the right words to say, she didn't want to ruin the moment.

"It's for the safety of this town… for you… that we have to leave. Gandalf will find us I'm sure" he caressed her naked back with his fingertips. _I'm not going to cry_, she thought, _I have to tell him that I'm coming too_. A feeling of unease began to creep over her body, like a sixth sense telling her something was bad was going to happen, or something bad was going to come. She sat up and quickly threw her shirt over her head and hobbled over to the window and pulled back the curtain. Thorin got up and stood behind her, playfully grabbing onto her hips.

"There's nothing out there" he assured her with his deep rumbly voice. Annora didn't move, her eyes were searching beyond what any regular dwarf could see. Her eyes could see beyond the hills sometimes, if she focused enough, her Elvish eyes were keen but it was also the rest of her body that gave her signals if danger was near. She could smell smoke on the wind and sure enough, amongst all the other scents, she could distinctly smell blood, and Orcs.

"They're coming" she hobbled away from the window and struggled to pull her pants back on, "the Orcs are coming, I can feel it, their scent is on the wind. We must leave now." She tied her hair back and reached for her boots and walking stick.

"How could you possibly…" Thorin tried to argue.

"Just trust me!" She demanded. He nodded and began to get dressed too. He pulled on his boots and helped her out of the room. Every single dwarf was there waiting, even Bilbo was looking at the pair curiously. Balin gave Thorin a suspicious look.

"Annora says the Orcs are on the move. We have to leave, now!" Thorin commanded and his comrades obeyed and jumped up and packed their things, gathered their weapons and stocked up on a bit of food for their journey. They hurried out of the door and to the front gates of the village. Annora hobbled along as fast as she could until Thorin turned around to stop her.

"I'm coming with you" she protested, her hand rested on the hilt of one of her swords, "I can fight!"

"You have a broken leg..."

"It's nearly healed, by tomorrow night I'll be able to run freely" she pleaded. The others also stopped in their tracks, waiting for their leader to catch up. "I have two ponies, one can carry me and you can use the other as a pack pony and load him up with some of your bags". Thorin felt torn, he wanted nothing more than to have her with him, now more than ever, but he couldn't trust that he or his comrades would be able to protect her with an Orc pack hunting them. He also didn't wanted to complicate the situation further by having the others to know about his feelings for the girl, the last thing he needed was to be pestered and harassed about having a queen of under the mountain or another heir of Durin's bloodline.

"Annora, my word is final" his voice rose in anger, "this is the company of Oakenshield, I'm the leader of my people."

"I am not one of your people" she spat at him, her face was only inches away from his, her emerald green eyes glared at him, "I follow my own destiny, I don't need your protection. In the days to come, you will need mine." She hobbled past him, hiding the hurt she felt and continued towards the rest of the group, seeking out especially the company of Kili. Thorin rolled his eyes, there was obviously no stopping her and the other dwarves seemed happy enough to have her company. They hurried over to the paddock where the ponies waited to be saddled. Kili helped to lift Annora up onto a pony, she smiled in thanks. The ponies seemed unsettled and Annora could feel the hairs on her arms stand up, her skin suddenly felt cold and she focused on the wind, she could hear the battle cries of the Orcs though the Dwarves heard nothing.

"We have to run, now!" Annora yelled and kicked her pony into a gallop and raced ahead, knowing that the only safety they will find along the way would be in the one place she has hid from her entire life, the birthplace of her mother, Mirkwood. She would not be welcomed there, but knew that the king would be more hospitable than the Orcs behind them. She gripped onto the pony's flowing mane tightly, she knew the dwarves were not too far behind but she decided to slow down to a canter and then a trot, she turned about to wait for the rest of the company to catch up. Surprisingly it was Bombur that reached her first, followed by Thorin and Bilbo. The rest of the company stopped for a moment to catch their breath.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin demanded. Annora was aware of his dislike of the Elves but she didn't think he'd rather risk a fight with a pack of Orcs over seeking refuge with the Elves.

"Mirkwood lies ahead" she pointed ahead, "Orcs would not dare to enter the realm of the woodland Elves, we should be safe there."

"_Should_?" Thorin raised an eyebrow.

"We _should_ be safer there than at the hands of a pack of Orcs" she replied, her words were cold, the feeling of love she felt only hours ago seemed to have been severed since she defied his orders. The prince agreed, they didn't have much of a choice, their journey still had much ahead and any time wasted in battle would not be worth it, they couldn't risk anyone getting injured which would slow down the company.

They picked up their pace and followed Annora through hills and forests, now they could all hear the Orcs were not far behind and there was an urgency with each step they made. Mirkwood was now in sight and it looked dark, almost dead. Annora seemed concerned, "this place is diseased, I sense there is a dark magic present" she swung her good leg over the side of the pony and with Kili's help she dismounted. Thorin glared at Kili.

"This seems like an odd way to reach one of the greater kingdoms of Middle Earth" Kili admitted.

"Stay close" Annora warned and she unsheathed one of her swords. Kili was going to follow her but Thorin nudged him out of the way and took hold of Annora's free hand.

"Stay close to me" he warned her, but this time there was no hostility in his voiced and she squeezed his hand in acknowledgment of the fact that once they entered the woods there was no going back. She wanted kiss him, she wanted to apologise for defying his orders, but she felt she could do nothing but lead them all into amongst the poisoned trees. There was evil behind them and she could feel the evil ahead of them. She turned and nodded at Kili who readied his bow and arrow. The others also took that as a sign to ready their weapons, poor Bilbo struggled to unsheathe his little unnamed sword and held it nervously in front of him, hoping that the blade wouldn't turn blue.

"I see webs…"Annora whispered.

…..

**A/N: I'm sorry if this turned out to be a little long, I hope you enjoyed reading it all the same. We all know what happens with the spiders but I think I'll put my own twist on that particular scene. As always, reviews are appreciated! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Oh more romance, passion and bloody fights to follow… along with a big secret that is about to be revealed. Enjoy the chapter!**

**Thank you to those who have reviewed previous chapters, I truly appreciate your support!**

…

Chapter 4

Over the Edge of the Wild

The dwarves stayed close behind Annora as she followed the path. The trees were so thick, ivy was overgrowing on branches and the air was humid and stale, it took all of her concentration to not stray from the path but every now and then she had to stop and gather her wits about her. For several days they walked and walked, their food supplies were quickly running out and it wasn't before long they began to feel the ache of starvation in their bellies.

"I need to rest" Annora admitted and collapsed on a nearby boulder, trying to shake of the feeling she was suffocating. No fresh air, no sunlight nor shining stars at night, it made her feel miserable. Bofur started a fire as they all began to settle for the night, for without the fire they would be engulfed by complete darkness, they wouldn't even be able to see who they were sitting next to unless they touched. Snacking on bits of bread, the dwarves and hobbit started to share some stories of life back home, perhaps to ignite some inspiration but it actually saddened their mood even more. Annora prepared her bed roll and tried to sleep, she had no appetite for food but she was thirsty, and their water supplies were almost gone. Another dwarf laid down his bedroll next to her and sat down, his hand combing through her thick hair and then rubbed her shoulder encouragingly.

"Are you alright?" Thorin's deep voice whispered into her ear. Annora rolled over to find him gazing down on her with his icy blue eyes. She smiled up at him.

"Yes" She assured him, "but I would feel more comfortable if Gandalf had returned in time, I don't trust the elves that inhabit these woodlands, and from what my mother told me once, these elves don't really trust anybody, especially dwarves." She looked about nervously. Her mother had told her very few things about her life growing up, but she knew that by re-entering Mirkwood she was sure she would not be welcomed, she was afraid of the dungeons her mother had warned her about, and though these elves were hospitable towards those they incarcerated they would sometimes keep prisoners until the end of their days.

"Let's worry about that if we come across any of those elves" he tried to restrain himself from hugging her close to his body, instead he took her hand into his, "you need your rest. I'll stay beside you until you wake" and he laid down on his bedroll, much to the amusement of almost all of the other dwarves who nodded and winked and whispered amongst themselves. Only Kili sat there beside the fire looking rather glum.

"My leg is as good as new now, I think I can protect myself" she yawned and turned her back to him and curled up ready for sleep. It was when she felt his arm wrap around her body and she felt his warm breath against the back of neck that she finally drifted off into a deep sleep. It was sleep filled with dreams about food, a complete abundance of food, breads and cheeses, ham and beef, juices and teas and it all seemed so real, so beautiful and wondrous that she didn't want to wake, even when she felt her body being shaken to try and stir her from slumber. Her eyes blinked open and it was Kili now poking at her and smiling.

"C'mon lazy bones, we think there are elves nearby, we can see a small fire not too far from here" he prodded her again until she stood up. She felt like she had been asleep for many hours yet she didn't at all feel refreshed. She gathered her blanket and her pack and went to go see what all the others were staring at. She could see small red lights in the distance, her elvish eyes strained a little in the darkness of the woods but she was almost certain she saw the elves, her ears picking up the faint sounds of their voices, it sounded to her like they were singing in celebration of some festival.

"We should not leave our path" she said but there was much doubt in her voice, "I will go. Keep the fire burning here so that I can find my way back". She prepared her bow and arrow just in case.

"I'll come with you. Do as she says, don't let that fire go out" Thorin spoke and looked over at Balin who nodded in agreement. The old dwarf with his long white beard which almost trailed along the ground was more than certain that the prince had become attached to the princess, but he hoped that she didn't distract him from his original quest. He remembered when Thrain had arranged for his son's betrothal, how they agreed that she would have been a true prize, worthy of sitting beside the throne of Erebor but Thorin was reckless when it came to women, none could keep his interest for longer than a few passing weeks. Since the kingdom was taken by Smaug the terrible, Balin couldn't recall the dwarf prince ever pairing up with another female. He watched on keenly as Thorin walked close behind Annora's footsteps. _Perhaps the Durin would thrive in this new world,_ Balin thought with a small smile on his face.

…

Thorin had his sword at the ready as he followed Annora through the woods. He could hear the voices now and even smelt fresh food, his stomach growled with anticipation. Annora stopped suddenly, the fires had gone out and the voice dissipated. There was blackness all around her and she reach back for Thorin's hand. He gripped her hand and brought her close to him.

"They've gone, they must have heard us" she tried to hide the panic in her voice. She couldn't even see the fire where the rest of company was left. Thorin brought her body to his, he should have felt frightened but instead he felt relief to finally have her alone to himself. He leaned forward and his nose brushed against hers as he leaned in to kiss her. Annora gasped in surprise and then returned his embrace, her arms snaked around his neck and through his thick braided hair. He groaned as he felt the kiss become deeper and more frantic, grateful that she still had strong feelings for him after all. They fumbled around in the blackness of night until Annora found her body pressed up against a tree, Thorin pinned her there with one arm as the other felt for a way beneath her shirt.

"Thorin, do you really think this is the time…."she protested then took a deep breath as he had lifted her shirt and he sucked gently on one of her bare breasts, "or place?" She sighed as she allowed herself to be vulnerable to his desires, though her body also desired for him. His body was grinding up against hers frantically, he felt a desperation taking over his body. He helped to pull down her trousers and then lifted her body up against the tree, she wrapped her legs around his waist and waited patiently for him to enter her. Thorin grunted a little as he lowered his pants just enough so he thrust forwards into her. Annora arched her back slightly, excited by Thorin's sudden burst of passion in the darkness, it thrilled her to know he desired her so. Her legs hugged his waist close to hers and he buried his face into her neck, nuzzling into her hair and breathing her scent in deeply. Annora felt pleasure building up again within her and as his movements quickened she let herself go and her muscles twitched and she moaned his name quietly into his ear, waves of ecstasy rushing over her body again and again. Thorin pressed his mouth against hers fiercely as he felt himself climax into her, pressing her whole body hard up against the tree. He couldn't see much in the dark but he felt sure she was gazing at him. She gave him another light kiss as she pulled her trousers back up and searched for her weapons on the forest floor.

"Annora, I need to ask you something…" he paused as he fixed up his pants too. He bumped into her and they both tried not to giggle, as though they themselves were only children, getting up to mischief instead of doing work that had to be done. They fell into another embrace, both enjoying their time of being completely alone together, the dwarf prince trailed his lips down her neck again, tasting the salty sweat on her porcelain skin. Thorin made his way back to her lips and kissed her again, their tongues exploring, their teeth nibbling, their mouths sucking, a flame of passion that could not be dampened by anything. Well, almost anything. Annora's eyes widened as she saw the beast behind Thorin. She gathered her strength and pushed him aside and reached for her sword and slashed at the gleaming black eyes. She felt the blade strike flesh and heard the creature hiss in agony, her eyes could only just see the outline of a great fat spider in the minimal moonlight that filtered through the thick treetops. The creature plunged forward again and reared up on four back legs and flashed its magnificent fangs at Annora. She jumped forward and rolled onto her back and sliced through the beast's underbelly. She rolled away quickly as the spider stumbled about helplessly then collapsed. There was the sound of branches snapping and more spiders hissing and she hurried over to Thorin.

"You said you saw webs…" Thorin's voice shaky, frightened and annoyed that the little burst of passion had been interrupted. He had his sword ready, "do your elvish eyes see more spiders"? Annora gazed into the darkness, she saw movement in the trees but they were hurrying away from their own location.

"They're leaving" then it dawned on her, "they're after the others, we must go…" she pulled urgently at Thorin's hand.

"And go where? We both can barely see the ground as it is" he protested. He could feel the tip of an arrow poking into his back, "and now we're also prisoners". Annora felt her sword being yanked from her hands and then she was restrained with rope around her hands and feet. Thorin and Annora were carried away by a group of elves, probably the same group they were trying to follow earlier. Annora tried to concentrate on what the elves were muttering to each other but a wave of dizziness swept over her mind and body and she felt herself succumb to the sleep spell that had been cast over both of them. Her dreams took over, once again the images of food sprang to mind and she felt happy, the memory of Thorin passionately kissing her in the darkness of night made her heart beat a little faster but it could not wake her, the spell was too strong and she was far too weak to fight it. Her body was limp in the arms of the elf who carried her back to the elvish kingdom in Mirkwood.

There were incredibly large gates that protected the king's palace, his domain was completely enclosed, apart from the river that flowed directly beneath it. Annora finally awoke but not in a cell or dungeon as she had expected, but in a large beautiful room. The bed had soft cotton linen and plush pillows and there were fresh robes for her at the end of her bed. Several candles gave the room a soft glow and she could once again here the soft voices of elves singing in the distance. She got up and searched the room but Thorin was nowhere to be seen. Panic began to grip her but she knew she had to stay calm. _Maybe the king recognised who she was after all_, she thought, _maybe after all these years he's finally forgiven my mother_. She changed out of her dirty clothes and into the clean elvish robes, the fabric was soft and luxurious to wear and she noticed the length was much more suited to her dwarvish height. A soft knock on the door startled her and she hurried to open it. A tall beautiful elf waited for her, his hair was long and blonde, his eyes blue like sky but she could read the years of wisdom behind them. He carried a tray of food, fresh fruits and green leaves with two drinks, a glass of elvish wine and a cup of spring water. She took the tray gratefully, careful not to spill the drinks. The elf bowed and smiled at her but he said nothing, he only stared at her curiously for a few moments then left.

As she started eating some green grapes she heard another knock on her door but it was not so soft his time. Before she could answer the door the guest allowed himself in. Her mouth fell open with shock and she sat back down on her bed. Another male elf but he looked far grander than the previous, his beautiful blonde hair cascaded over his shoulders right down to his waist, his eyes were a grey-blue colour and she knew he was old, it was the crown on his head that made her skin become cold with fear.

"Annora, you have finally entered the woodland realm. Where is your mother?" His voice was calm and he spoke slowly.

"Dead. We had no choice but to enter Mirkwood, there was an orc pack after us" Annora was attempting to sound confident but to have the king standing before her was quite intimidating. He could see he was having an effect on her so he smiled gently and sat beside her, he had no intention to come across as a threat to her.

"How is it that you know my name? My mother had me hidden way in the world of men" she asked, looking up at him curiously.

"To hear of your mother's death saddens me" he admitted and he seemed sincere to her, "I will assume she only told you a small part of the story of her life here and the reasons for her banishment. I had heard of your birth from one of my guards who came across a group of dwarves many years ago. What I did not know was that you are a halfling, not that I will discredit your for that but it surprises me that your mother would've taken up a union with a dwarf". Annora decided to tell him the story of how her parents met, that her father was also a dwarf lord and then she described the life of violence and fear that he had given to herself and her mother. Thranduil nodded sadly as Annora told her tale. She felt so small sitting next to him, he was an elder, more so than even Elrond, a king from another Age and she was young, small and a half-blood, not entirely worthy of the company of an elf king. Thranduil faced her and gently took both her hands into his, her hands were so small compared to his and they were trembling nervously.

"You will not be harmed, let me assure you" he was voice was becoming more stern, "however I cannot say the same for your company. Why are you travelling with Thorin Oakenshield?" His eyes seemed a little colder as he mentioned the dwarf's name. Annora had to think fast, she had to get Thorin released from wherever it was he was being held captive but she also didn't want to ruin the trust that the king seemed to have in her. She needed to get out, find him and then rescue the others from the woods.

"Thorin and his friends were staying at my mother's inn, back in Theleor. They stayed for some days, and in those days myself and Thorin wed, we had been betrothed for many years. He requested me to come with him… to Erebor" a terrible lie, but she hoped that Thranduil could read the genuine feelings of love she had for the prince in her eyes. He gave her a calculating stare and then stood up, he did not seem pleased with the news she gave, but neither did he seemed angered by the union.

"I will send for your husband, he will stay here with you and a guard shall remain outside your door until I have spoken with Thorin of his quest. For him to challenge Smaug is a foolish idea but perhaps there is a chance he may bring back some jewels, some of which would be of great use to us here" he paused and turned to face her, he once again seemed kind, "rest now, eat and drink and recover from your days spent in the woods. You are safe here, my child." He walked over to the door where he was met by what seemed to be a young elf warrior, his resemblance to the king was uncanny. She could hear them whispering, something about the discovery of more dwarves and a hobbit rescued from a great spiders nest in the woods. She took a deep breath of relief, her friends were saved, she was thinking of how frightened poor little Bilbo would've been. She had one last question for the king as he began to leave, but she wasn't entirely sure she was ready for his answer.

"My King, before you go…" she spoke up, her voice trembling, "why are you treating me with such kindness? You banished my mother and here I am, half elf and half dwarf…"

Thranduil smiled and raised an eyebrow, "have you not guessed?" Annora's eyes widened as she predicted what his answer would be.

"Lithrael was my sister. To you my child, I am your uncle. It is common knowledge amongst many elves that I was the only son of Oropher but rumours should not always be trusted nor ignored, and when gossip spread that he had a daughter to another woman our kingdom then fought to protect my father's good name, and the secret that was Lithrael had to be hidden… banished to exile" and with that he closed the door behind him. She knew it was true. She remembered the parchment her father had given her, it had the details of her requested betrothal to Thorin, it had noted how the King of Erebor desired her royal bloodlines to join with there's, how their union would be a great success for their people. She never understood it completely, only knowing her father as being royal. She felt the world around her closing in, her chest tightened and she felt dizzy. She was hungry for food but she also felt like throwing up. She heard another knock at the door but she didn't care, she laid back on her bed and closed her eyes but the tears came anyway and her soft cries escaped from her lips.

Thorin stood at the door, his hand were released from the rope bonds and he hurried to Annora's side. The elf guard closed her bedroom door. He sat down on the bed and combed his fingers through her hair. She had no idea how she was going to explain this all to him, she rolled over to face him then pulled him down onto the bed with her, "hold me" she whispered and she felt his arms wrap around her body.

"What happened? What have you told them?" He wiped away her tears with his thumb, stroking her cheek gently as she calmed down and slowed her breathing.

"I'm sorry Thorin, I had no choice but to lie, I had to get you out of the prison cell… he seemed to trust me" she tried to explain.

"Who?" He asked.

"The king, Thranduil. I said…"she didn't want to say it, it was stupid and foolish but it had worked, "I said that you and me, we completed our betrothal back in Theleor. It worked, he released you and brought you here…" she blubbered, hoping he would not be angry with her.

"Thranduil… he cannot be trusted. He is a traitor to my people" his rolling voice was angered, not at her but at the king who had stood by and watched his people be destroyed by the great fire drake from the north.

"Please listen, there is more" Annora begged, "he told me something else, the reason why your father and grandfather desired our union so much, though I do not know how they knew this truth.." her eyes were still misty with tears.

"What truth?" Thorin was becoming impatient, he understood her need to lie but he didn't like hearing again of how his family had arranged this mysterious betrothal.

"Thranduil… my mother, they were siblings, brother and sister… to have royal elf blood and royal dwarf blood, your father or maybe even your grandfather had discovered this, that is why they chose me. My uncle is your enemy… now what am I to you?" She sat up and turned her back to him, her thoughts swimming around her head. She was lost with this revelation_. Will he still care for me_, she wondered, and hoped. Thorin pulled her back down on the bed with force and kissed her.

"Do you care for me?" He asked as his lips parted from hers.

"Yes" Annora replied without even thinking. It was the complete truth, he was never far from her thoughts.

"That is what matters. If we care for each other, than it doesn't matter whose blood runs through our veins. We found each other… a great coincidence or destiny, I don't know or care, what I do know is that I want you with me," he paused and kissed her softly again, "right up until we reopen the secret door to Erebor". Annora nodded and curled up into the warmth of his body.

'I overhead the kind talking with one of his guards, some sort of warrior, they have found the others and brought them here. The Elves will look after them, even to their enemies they will be hospitable… but time is running out, we must leave this place" Annora whispered, nuzzling into Thorin's chest.

"Aye, we will. Let us get some decent sleep first, it feels like it's been weeks since we left your cottage" Thorin kicked off his boots and coat and cuddled up to his woman.

"You're probably right, Mirkwood is known for playing tricks on one's mind" she was thankful to have him beside her and pretty soon they both drifted off to sleep, only Annora was also dreaming of how they were going to leave this place. She knew Thorin would never agree to giving away any of his family's treasures to Thranduil, the king would most likely throw him back in a prison cell for not cooperating. She had to think of something, and then she wondered, perhaps the burglar could be put to good use.

…..

**A/N: Another chapter complete, yay! **


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